


Sparring

by silverpen693



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Garrus getting worked up, Jealousy, Pre-Relationship, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-20 05:07:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10655544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverpen693/pseuds/silverpen693
Summary: Set in Mass Effect 2.  Garrus and Shepard are close but haven't quite got to the point of admitting what they are feeling to themselves.Garrus goes to the Cargo Bay to get in a little work out, but what he sees leaves him more than a little worked up.**********





	Sparring

It had been a frustrating morning. None of his calibrations were resulting in any greater efficiency or output from the new guns and Garrus was feeling wired and irritated by everything. He really wanted to punch something and since no ground missions were scheduled for that day, he grabs his kit bag and decides to go work off some of his annoyance in the small exersize area in the cargo bay. The mess hall seems unusually deserted as he passes through but he pays it no mind, as his mind works over the last lot of equations he had been working on, trying to think of a different way to approach it that might bring better results. The lift whirrs slowly down and he frowns to himself as the doors open and he hears a lot of excited chatter coming from the Bay. He had hoped to have the area to himself.

Garrus enters the bay to find a small crowd gathered around the exersize area. He can hear Donnelly making a bet with Gaby about the outcome. Is there some kind of sparring contest? This is new to him for a human ship. But his mandibles flare in amusement and anticipation. Nothing like a good sparring contest to burn off some stress.

Dropping his kit bag he makes his way over to the cheering, excited spectators and pushes his way through. The Commander and the Drell. He stops in his tracks. Shocked. Not at the fight. That doesn’t surprise him at all. 

Shepard has her hair tied back in her normal practical off-duty braid and is wearing a short sleeved top that covers the soft mounds on her chest but leaves her midriff and her waist bare for several inches before tight exersize pants hug her strong, sleek legs. 

Garrus can’t breathe. His eyes are seized by the curve from her chest narrowing to her naked, glistening waist. By the sleek curve into the sharp hip bones. The flat of her stomach. He swallows. He tries to remind himself that humans attach no significance to their waist. But for a turian, baring their waist is intimate, sexual, an invitation. He can’t take his eyes off her.

She is circling the Drell, her movements fluid and graceful, as is his. With a feint, he moves around quickly to grasp her round the neck but she is ready and pulls him over. He breaks hold and is still on his feet, his legs trying to sweep hers from under her. But she is stretching off to one side, rolling into another standing position, her eyes seeking their target. So sleek and deadly and.. creamy and soft… They circle each other, attacking in liquid movements resembling a lethal dance, stretching and spinning, feet and hands striking in swift succession, holds taken and broken, advantages found and lost. But he is only dimly aware of the contest.

He finds himself staring at that expanse of naked skin. He wonders if it is as sensitive as Turian waists. Wonders how the skin would taste if he flicked his tongue over it. If she would shudder if he stroked it. Wonders if her neck is as soft and tender as it looks… He sees the gleam of sweat on the dip of her spine and imagines licking it slowly off a droplet at a time…

“Vakarian? Are you singing?” Moreau is asking incredulously and Garrus realises that his subharmonics are escaping him. He tries to focus to get it under control - he’s not a teenager, Spirit’s sake, blowing his mind at his first sight of a particularly seductive waist.

Then she spins , leaping into the air, her outstretched leg striking Thane's shoulder and the Drell leans into the force of the kick, keeping his balance but tripping over an Alliance boot, stuck out in his path and he falls. Shepard is chewing out the human as she reaches a hand out to Thane to help him up. She is breathless, panting, but her eyes are gleaming and alive. 

Oh Spirits, as she bends, Garrus feels that shift again, the subtle movement of plates, and the hum of arousal in his chest. Then as the Drell rises, Thane stumbles and steadies himself, hand grasping at her hip momentarily. Hot jealousy washes over Garrus and he steps forward, subharmonics screaming possession.

“You ok, big guy?” Moreau is touching his arm, concerned. “Don’t worry, Shepard will sort that guy out. You know she won’t tolerate that shit!” For a second, Garrus thinks he means Thane but Joker nods at the human who is getting a severe dressing down from his commanding officer.

Garrus realises, shocked, that he has stepped forward and his frame is distinctly threatening - the human crew around him have pulled back, apprehensively. 

“Something wrong, Garrus?” Shepard’s voice is concerned as she walks towards him. 

He forces himself to look at her face. Her face, her face. Don’t look lower.  
“No, Shepard.” He forces himself to smirk. “But if you ever want a real challenge let me know.”

She laughs. “Thane has a better chance of beating me” she says, mock- haughtily. “First thing we marines are taught are all the turian weak spots”

His eyes flick momentarily to her waist, but he reins himself back. “Must’ve been a short lesson, Shepard. We have no weak spots”. He forces a sub-tone of humour, but is surprised by the remnants of lust he hears under it. At that point he is very glad there are no other turians on board.

“Is that so, Vakarian..” she begins, her body moving closer, challenging him. The crew are laughing, egging her on, expectant and excited to see who would win a bout between them. He moves closer too, towering over her. They are inches from each other and there is a sudden frisson of excitement between them. They have competed but they have never fought. 

“Commander, while scanning local planets for resources, I have detected an anomaly which requires your attention.” EDI’s voice interrupts and the crew groan.

“Another time, Vakarian” Shepard promises, laughing, and runs off to the bridge. “Thanks for the fight, Thane” she calls over her shoulder.

“My pleasure, Siha.” the Drell responds. He stays in the area, carefully putting away the weapons and mats they had been using as the crew disperses. 

Garrus waits, impatiently, for the shift of his plates which signal that movement will not result in at best discomfort and at worst real pain. With Shepard gone, he is confused by the reaction she draws from him. 

“Are you bonded?” Thane asks. He has paused in his task and is staring at the large turian thoughtfully. Garrus starts, surprised at the question. He tries to assess the expression on the Drell’s face but it is hard to read. 

“No” he replies eventually. “My father is waiting for me to grow up and act responsibly before he saddles some poor female with me”. His voice is dry but his thoughts are far away, trying to work out what it is that is making him react like this with Shepard. It’s been a while, but he’s gone longer before without sex without getting plates-twisted by aliens.

“Ah. I thought perhaps you and Shepard..” 

“What? No! She’s my friend. And a human..” Garrus is surprised at the thought. 

“I see.” Thane’s voice is thoughtful. “I’m sorry if I misunderstood. Although I can hear some of the turian range of subharmonics, I am not fluent in their meaning. I must have misread the..situation.” The lids on his eyes flicker closed and open and somehow Garrus feels exposed.

“Well, yes..” He clears his throat. “I better go sort my gear. I’ll probably be needed..” 

“Indeed. You are always an integral part of Shepard’s ground team. She is very.. attached to you it seems.” 

“We’ve been through a lot together. She trusts me in a way she doesn’t trust the rest of the Cerberus team yet. She knows I have her six”. Garrus knows he is speaking defensively and wonders where this is going. “Do you have a problem with it, Thane?”

“Not at all.” he replies softly. “I hope I, too, earn her trust in the days to come. And yours” He gives that peculiar little bow of his and leaves the bay, the door swishing shut behind him.

“Garrus! Damn it, where are you?” Shepard’s voice coming through their private comm channel is impatient and amused. “Get your bony ass to the bridge and bring your gun. Don’t want excuses when I thrash you again today”

He is already on the move. “Roger that, Commander. On my way.”


End file.
